This carroccio was a large chariot on four wheels, surmounted by a mast, on the top of which was a golden apple, or some other device, and was destined to bear the standard of each little commonwealth. The chariots were decked with precious cloths of different colors. They were greatly in use in the thirteenth century, forming as it were the palladium of each town, whose inhabitants it preceded to the field, and by whom it was defended at every peril; for it was a lasting dishonor to a town to lose its carroccio in battle. Sometimes the chieftain addressed his feudsmen from it, and sometimes even mass was celebrated on a portable altar erected upon it. (Vide Sismondi, and Muratori Delle Antichità Italiane, Tom. I. P. 2, page 198.) Multitudes had come to the great assembly from cities more distant than those mentioned above. The inhabitants of Bologna, Ferrara, Modena, &c., appeared unarmed, preceded by their bishops, and walking bare-foot in sign of penance. The most celebrated chieftains of the day were on the ground, and most conspicuous amongst them the Marquis of Este, the Signors of Comino, Ezzelino da Romano, and his brother Alberico. According to the chroniclers of the day, the number of people present was more than four hundred thousand, and no less than ten bishops. but thrown into the town, by means of a machine, the carcase of a donkey as a compliment to the inhabitants. The peace was mutually promised, agreed to, and stipalated by all parties, and the awful sentence of excommunication fulminated against him who should be the first to destroy so holy a work. Friar John witnessed the successful result of his mission with unbounded satisfaction, and gratitude to God, who had effected it. That the peace might be still better established, he proposed to the assembled parties the marriage of Adelaide daughter of Alberico da Romano, whose brother Ezzelino was the most conspicuous among the Ghibellines, to Prince Rinaldo, son of the Marquis of Este, chief of the Guelphs. This proposition was applauded by all, and the articles of the peace were inscribed and signed in a document which is still extant. (Vide Muratori, Antiq Ital.) Friar John had certainly arranged matters satisfactorily amongst the different populations which had listened to his address on the banks of the Adige; and had they been left quietly to themselves they would no doubt have remembered and kept his good advice. But many of the chieftains had only feigned a desire for å peace which would have deprived them of Such a spectacle had rarely been seen their favorite adventures, and the rich spoils in Italy before, and the circumstances of which were their object. Hence it is that such an extraordinary assemblage must they only waited for a plausible pretext to have inspired the worthy Dominican destroy the universal reconciliation which preacher with no common eloquence. had apparently been effected. New diffiFrom a platform sixty feet high, he har-culties began to arise very soon, and only angued his immense audience, exhorting them in the name of God and the Holy Father to give to each other the kiss of peace, and forswear those fatal brawls which tended only to exhaust and weaken their country, until it became an easy prey to the watchful invader. His words had an immediate effect upon every heart. The Ghelph chieftain embraced the Ghibelline whom he had met on the field of battle, and armed to the teeth, three days before; the Capulet kissed the cheek of the Montague whom he would have run through the body, the preceding week, for "biting his thumb" at him; and even the people of Vicenza settled all quarrel with the Florentines, who the year previous had not only besieged their walls, a few days passed before several of the cities broke off from the compact at the instigation of these malicious advisers, and only a few months elapsed before all Lombardy was again in a blaze. It was in vain that the good Dominican made every effort to compose these new dissensions. In vain did he reason with the turbulent princes, and urge them to maintain the stipulations so solemnly agreed upon at the famous meeting. Finding everywhere a deaf ear turned to his remonstrances, and seeing all his attempts fruitless, he retired to his convent in Bologna to meditate upon the instability of human affairs. If the pious father, through human weakness, had allowed some little sentiment of self-complacency to arise in his heart at the time of his great | strengthen the German ranks. A number speech, and its wonderful effect upon the of Saracens had likewise been enlisted in multitudes, he learned a lesson upon human his pay. But those who seem to have nature, which must have been extremely attracted the greatest share of admiration useful to him in his after-life. It is unfor- were a band of English warriors, armed at tunate that he did not dictate in a form to all points and mounted on richly caparibe preserved, the oration which he had soned steeds. They presented themselves delivered to the Lombards, which must to Frederic, offering him at the same time have been a rare specimen of popular elo- a large sum of money as a token of friendquence, and his meditations upon the ship from his kinsman Henry III. They sequel of events that followed it, which were gallant fellows, these Island Knights, would be probably no less instructive and and would have liked better, although they entertaining. said but little, to deal their blows on French mail, than to spend their lives in sacking and burning Italian hamlets, in the cause and quarrel of a foreign prince. The only document relative to those extraordinary circumstances, which has been handed down to posterity, is a letter of Pope Gregory IX. to Friar John, wherein he expresses his entire satisfaction with his praiseworthy exertions, and consoles him for their signal and utter failure to effect what they were intended for. The quarrelsome Lombards paid dearly very soon after for violating promises so solemnly made; and the chief cause of the misfortunes which befell them, was the incorrigible Ezzelino. This turbulent spirit could find no pleasure in a peaceable state of things, so unlike that of his younger days. His first iniquitous act was to create a renewal of civil war in Verona. But not satisfied with so small a scheme of mischief, he engaged in a far more perilous and treacherous enterprise by writing to Frederic II. Emperor of Germany, exhorting him to pass the Alps, and enter into Lombardy, at the head of a powerful army. Frederic was not slow in following the advice of his faithful adherent. He resolved to carry war into the very heart of the country, to urge on and encourage its progress by his presence on the spot, and to strike at once at the strongest bulwarks of the national party. Whatever advantages his cause might have obtained in Lombardy, the two important cities of Milan and Brescia were yet unconquered, and their resistance to all the former efforts of his faction rankled in the mind of the proud Emperor. By the advice of Ezzelino he determined, upon his arrival in Italy, to attempt first the capture of Brescia as the easier to overcome of the two obnoxious cities. A florid army bearing the imperial standard entered Verona in 1238. Several cities of Italy had sent their forces to The imperial army, after having reduced the surrounding country to a howling desert, sat down before Brescia strong in number, and well provided in the different machines of siege then in use, the Emperor being firmly resolved not to withdraw from the place before having planted the German standard on the towers of its citadel. He had, however, no easy bone to contend for. The Brescians were distinguished among their neighbors for enterprise and perseverance, and understanding well that from Frederic and Ezzelino they had no mercy to hope for, they determined to fight to the last for their beloved city, and at least sell their lives at a price not soon to be forgotten. While the hostile army was advancing, they had furnished the town with all the stores necessary to sustain a lengthened siege. It discouraged them in some measure, to think that they were totally deprived of the warlike machinery which rendered the beleaguering army doubly formidable. But they were fortunately delivered from this exigency by an occurrance which they considered as a special interposition of Providence in behalf of their just cause. Some of their people, while foraging in the vicinity for provisions, had entrapped a Spaniard on his way from Germany towards the imperial camp, and brought him prisoner into Brescia. This traveller was discovered to be a man of great acquirements in various branches, but above all a thorough adept in the art of constructing all manner of engines of war offensive and defensive, and in the science of equipping and directing them, whatever their shape or calibre. His new entertainers were de lighted at discovering so much knowledge | rushing upon them simultaneously, opened in their unwilling visitor, and to show their their way towards the imperial tent, killing high esteem for his talents they proposed or disabling every one who opposed them. at once to his choice, either to serve the The Emperor, with great difficulty, escaped ancient city of Brescia according to his being taken prisoner on this occasion, to craft, or to be set up as a target for their the no small regret of the Brescians. cross-bows. The good Castilian did not stand to deliberate, but applied himself lustily to work for his new employers, and with such efficacy, that they were soon provided with wooden towers, batteringrams, manganos, trabuccos, and other destructive implements for demolishing parapets, and hurling stones, as well as their adversaries. The siege had been going on for some days, when the detestable Frederic, irritated at the accuracy with which they aimed pieces of iron and heavy fragments of rock at his breast-works and machinery, which they broke and scattered, frequently killing the soldiers who managed them, had recourse to the expedient of bringing several Brescian prisoners from Cremona, and tying them to his engines, so that their friends and relatives might be obliged to desist from further attempts, or kill their unfortunate kinsmen in the act. It is not certain whether the besieged were driven by despair to continue their defence as before, or whether they desisted from battering the imperial works at so fearful a sight. But goaded on, and belabored so piteously by the unfeeling adversary, they retaliated on his cruel device, stringing up by the heels the numerous Germans they had in their possession, and exposing them all along the outside of the ramparts to the strokes of their brutal Emperor. What irritated Frederic still more were the sorties which these shrewd and daring Italians effected at intervals on his troops, retiring into the gates of their stronghold almost before the heavy Germans knew where the blows came from. These sorties were of great damage to the imperial He soon became disgusted with the siege. Every effort against the town proved unsuccessful, and seemed only to increase the daring of the citizens. It became unsafe even to walk at any distance from the camp. While the Emperor had collected all his forces in the design of overwhelming Brescia, the Milanese, seeing the country clear, spread their armed men over the neighborhood, giving a severe lesson to several of the towns where Frederic had been well received. They even bearded the Emperor in his own quarters. For, having learned from the scouts, whom they always kept on the alert, that a certain part of the imperial lines was rather negligently guarded, on account of the security afforded by its position, they equipped a band of the hardiest adventurers in their service, who, coming unexpectedly upon the vulnerable point, attacked it so desperately as to force it under the nose of the Emperor, and throw themselves into the town to reinforce its hercis garrison. At length, seeing that all his endeavors to carry the place were fruitless, he set fire to his machines, and sullenly drew off his army, retreating towards Cremona. This event seriously injured the reputation of Frederic II., and increased the glory of the free city of Brescia, who celebrated his departure with becoming exultation. Our hero, Ezzelino, never cared to work under a superior, however he might value his assistance or protection. Leaving. therefore, the Emperor at an early period to wear out the lives of his men and his own patience under the walls of Brescia, he had engaged in a scheme of his own, which had for its object the conquest of the rich and powerful city of Padua. Ezzelino effected its capture by an adroit use of the fear excited by the presence in Italy of Frederic and his powerful army, and by means of a treacherous correspondence which he kept up with the Ghibel line faction in the city. The city had no sooner fallen into the power of the imperial party, than Ezzelino made himself its It Governor. He inflicted a cruel revenge | infidel, and the other was known to hold upon the inhabitants, for their constant adherence to the Guelphs, and the trouble they had formerly given him. The indignities which he committed against the best and most noble citizens, procured a number of enemies for him and his party, so that a secret invitation was sent to the Marquis of Este, to come and deliver Padua from the tyrant and his German satellites. The brave Marquis accepted, perhaps too hastily, the invitation thus tendered to him, and moved rapidly towards Padua, in hopes that his friends would open one of its gates to him, as they had promised. But in place of this he came upon Ezzelino, who was in readiness for him, and who gave him a reception as warm as it was unexpected. This terrified his followers so much that, struck with a sudden panic, they deserted their ensigns almost to a man, and the Marquis owed the preservation of his life to his horse, that bore him nobly beyond the reach of danger. The Marquis resolved to be more cautious for the future, in his proceedings with the Ghibellines, a purpose which afterwards saved him more than once from their toils. Ezzelino, as a reprisal, occupied the town of Este, whose garrison, a few days afterwards, was filled with Germans and Saracens. He also made an attempt to storm Montagnana, another feud, which he hoped to carry as easily as that of Este. But the people resisted him with great determination; and even set fire, in broad day-light, to a tower under which he was at the time, and from which he made a very narrow escape. He retired from before the town, and returned to Padua. Ezzelino had the honor of giving a splendid reception there to Frederic and his suite, and of spending nearly two months with him and the Empress, in the monastery of Santa Justina. They passed their time in hunting, and in taking long walks over the surrounding country, which abounds in beautiful and romantic scenery. A venerable Italian chronicler tells us, with pardonable indignation, that "these two subjects, to wit, Emperor Frederic and Messer Ezzelino, were perhaps the two greatest Generals, and, without a doubt, the two greatest scoundrels of their day and life-time. For one was a beast of an familiar intercourse with the devil." would be interesting, perhaps, though not edifying, to have an outline of the conversations held by two worthies of this description, amidst some of the most charming tracts of the most beautiful country in the world. We are informed that their time was chiefly employed in devising plans for the destruction of Azzo, Marquis of Este, whom Ezzelino styled "the head of the serpent, against which the first strokes should be directed, in order to have an easy victory over the body." Feriendus est serpens in capite, ut corpus facilius devincatur. He alluded to the serpent in the coat of arms of the House of Este, and the Guelph party, of which the Marquis was the chief. They soon began to work upon this principle, and their first step was to send a friendly invitation to the Marquis, to wait upon the Emperor in Padua. Although willing to take part in any proceedings which might tend to allay their animosities, the Marquis refused to move, unless a security were given to him in the Emperor's name, and signed by the imperial hand. Having received this, he went to Padua, accompanied by several of his adherents. The bad faith of the Ghibellines soon began to show itself. The Emperor had the castle of the Marquis quietly surrounded by German outposts. Soon after, under some specious pretext, he secured the person of Rinaldo, son of the Marquis, and kept him as a hostage. The malicious Ezzelino placed numerous spies near his visitor during his stay in Padua, and was informed by them of the names and quality of the persons with whom he had intercourse, in order to punish them, as he afterwards did, by exile, imprisonment, or death. The wary Marquis was continually on the alert, and he soon had more than mere suspicion to mistrust the faith of his adversaries for he learned that Frederic had resolved, and even given directions to have him taken out of the way. He forefended the stroke by leaving Padua secretly, and without notice. Once out of the lion's den, he rallied his followers, and collecting all the forces he could, he marched boldly upon Este, and other towns occupied by the enemy, reducing them once more into his power. This rapid and fortunate movement caused the death of every one | brought to Padua, and loudly protesting in Padua, who was a friend of the Marquis, or whom Ezzelino chose to consider as such. The cruelty of this chief increased as he became older. An unguarded word, a vague suspicion, a groundless accusation, was enough for him to cast his unhappy victims into the horrid dungeons, erected by his order in every town where he obtained command. The architect who served him was the first to die in one of these prisons, when its erection was completed. He burned the towers and palaces of the nobles who failed to obtain his favor; tormented and maimed in the most frightful manner their owners, frequently ordering their limbs to be cast into the fire before their eyes. He made several attempts to establish his sway in several cities hostile to Frederic, among the rest, but without success, in Parma and Belluno. The lamentations of the unfortunate Paduans, lay and clerical, groaning under his iron yoke, became so loud that in 1248, Pope Innocent IV. excommunicated him, as he had done already with the profligate and ambitious Frederic. Ezzelino, in place of being humbled by the sentence, as the Pope expressly desired, became worse and worse. He continued his assassinations and imprisonments, strengthened his forces, and seeing the power of Frederic decline with his health, he formed the project of adding to the proud title of Signor of Padua, which he had assumed, the command over other cities, and domineering in his own name. He took and sacked the little city of Monselice, and forced its citadel, deemed impregnable, to capitulate. It is said that some of the machines which he employed on this occasion, heaved stones of twelve thousand pounds weight, a circumstance which may be deemed incredible. Frederic II. died in 1250. After having afflicted the church like his grandfather Frederic Barbarossa, he came to a similarly unfortunate end, although he is believed to have previously repented of his misdeeds. We have only alluded to him, where his history comes in contact with that of Ezzelino, his friend and fellow-bandit. Monte and Araldo, two nobles of Monselice, accused as traitors, having been that they were not such, Ezzelino, who was at dinner, came out at the noise, and refused to listen to any explanation or defence. Monte, driven almost to insanity by his hopeless condition, rushed wildly at the tyrant, threw him to the ground, and being unarmed himself, searched Ezzelino's person for a dagger, but at the moment he too was unarmed. Monte having grappled him by the throat, was making a desperate effort to choke him. Both Monte and Araldo, however, were cut to pieces by the soldiers of Ezzelino, who narrowly escaped with his life, and was confined to his bed for several days in consequence of the wounds inflicted upon him by Monte's teeth and nails. Had he not been found unarmed, that would have been the last day of his life. The complaints of the wretched Paduans, the remonstrances of the Marquis of Este, and the entreaties of the whole nation against this horrible man, became so loud, that Pope Alexander IV., as the common father, could no longer refuse his assistance towards delivering the country from so great an evil. Accordingly, he created Phillip, Archbishop elect of Ravenna, Legate Apostolic in the Marca Trevigiana, who published a crusade against Ezzelino, as an enemy of his religion and his country. He collected an army in Venice, composed partly of Paduan refugees; and notwithstanding the efforts of Ansedisio, nephew to Ezzelino, and Governor of Padua in his name, he took all the fortified places in the vicinity, and finally stormed a gate of the city itself. While the crusaders were battering the gate, the besieged poured down upon their machines such a large quantity of hot rosin, sulphur, pitch, an other combustibles, that the gate itsel caught fire and was reduced to ashes, af fording an easy entrance to the aggressors They were soon in possession of the city. and threw open the gloomy dungeons ca Ezzelino, thus giving freedom to an incred ble number of victims of his cruelty, who could scarcely be recognized by their rea tives, so haggard and spectre-like was the appearance. Ezzelino, who was then marauding the territory of Mantua, moved in the d rection of Padua, at the news of its being besieged. At the ford of the Mine |